


Stay

by MahalsBeard



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Fantasy, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-12 04:32:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7920619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MahalsBeard/pseuds/MahalsBeard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After working himself hard into a stupor that led him falling down a flight of stairs, Sakurai Sho gains an unwelcome week's-worth vacation much to his Aunt's delight.  She invites him to stay at the old family house and discovers that the old tale his mother used to tell him about the "little people" living there might actually be true.</p><p>Inspired by the film, "Arrietty".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Little Voice

**Author's Note:**

> This is a simple romance inspired by the animated fantasy film, "Arrietty".
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the film and to the Arashi members featured in this story. 
> 
> Purely fictional and for fun. I wish there are more stories out there of Yama pair, though. ;))

 

Sho tried so hard not to groan in pain while the car treaded along the rough road. He adjusted his position to make himself more comfortable and yet nothing changed for the the vibrations of the car caused by the pebbled soil didn't comply in mercy. They have already covered a few kilometers since leaving Tokyo at an ungodly hour and he was starting to get agitated because he could feel the pain killer he took before leaving have began to wear off completely. Staring at the bottle of his prescription medicine, he swallowed down the temptation of popping another pill in respect of his principle not to rely to much on chemically-concocted drugs. He turned away and ignored the throbbing on his leg all the while as the car went past houses and farms, travelling further into the more rural areas of Gunma Prefecture.

The torture begrudgingly seemed to stretch several more minutes. And his Aunt kept on apologizing for the inconvenience of the path they had to take. Sho, being the polite nephew that he was, pursed his lips to nod and gave his Aunt a tight smile just so she could go back concentrating on the road rather than keep looking through the rearview mirror to check on him.

At first, he had decided to take the passenger seat for the trip but his Aunt and Mother had insisted on him to choose the backseat, pointing out that he will need the ample space for a comfortable room on his injured leg. Looking out the window, they seem to have entered a more private road as there were only a line of trees and thick shrubberies decorating the view outside.

"Oh...Oh! It's here! We're here. I can see the house." He heard his Aunt say excitedly.

 

Sho was about to sigh in relief but instead gasped out in pain when the car jolted forward violently as it ran over a sharp rock buried underneath the uneven soil.

He heard the car horn honking, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps and the click of his door being opened.

 

"Oh my Gawd, Sho! I'm sorry...I'm so sorry dear. I'll call for help. Just wait here...Just--uhm--stay, alright?" His Aunt told him and apologized again before making her way towards the porch to call out for the care taker.

 

Sho slumped bonelessly on the backseat and rolled his head to the side to get a glimpse of the house he was going to live in for the week.

"Ehh...this kind of seems familiar." He said thoughtfully and had to sit up in surprise when a furball mutt suddenly launched itself over a thick bush, only to be stopped by the fences shielding the plants.

Sho couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. The cotton ball tail of the puppy wagging wildly at its back reminded him of the keychain his female co-workers love strapping on their handbags so much.

 

The puppy was still desperately reaching out a paw inside the fence, even resorting to digging the soil under the wood planks to get his target.

 

"You aren't going to get through." Sho was now laughing when the canine turned to him in surrpise. The 'puppy' was actually a small dog breed and his adorable little face wasn't giving justice to the viciousness of his previous agenda.

"What are you trying to reach for anyw--"

The sound of a tiny sneeze made him pause.

 

"What was..." He trailed off when he heard his Aunt calling and another voice shouting what most probably was the dog's name.

"Reno!" The owner of the voice scolded and immediately grabbed the small dog. "Look at you." She turned towards the destroyed patch of soil Reno had dug out. "You've done it again.

Look at that...you're a mess." She sounded exasperated.

However, despite the scolding, the canine once again tried to wiggle his way out of her hold when a crow flew over the same bush he was targetting. The woman dropped him, caught off guard, and this time let the dog go.

"Is everything alright?" Sho asked; seeming to have been forgotten.

The woman turned to him, her surprise from earlier still evident on her face.

"Oh..." A note of recognition flashed in her eyes. "Oh yes! Everything's fine." Her eyes landed on his leg cast. "Look at you. Still as clumsy as ever, Sho-kun." She said fondly despite the frown on her face from looking at his injury.

"Uhmm...do I--Have we met before?" He had to ask for the woman had addressed him familiarly. She looked a bit taken aback.

"Sorry Haru-san. Sho has been so busy lately. His work has taken over his mind, he couldn't even remember his childhood neighbor." His Aunt all but punctuated the last two words.

 

Sho turned to face the woman and tried to match her with the name. He vaguely remembered his childhood but omitting the small hints of laugh lines by the side of her eyes and reducing some of her tan, his brain finally provided him with a memory.

"You used to steal the freshest bunch of grapes at the neighboring farm when we had a picnic in secret!" He blurted out.

 

His Aunt gave him a wide-eyed look and thought how rude that must have sounded. But then Haru was laughing and he couldn't help but smile sheepishly in return.

"That wasn't the best thing to remember me by but it'll do." She gave him a warm smile.

"Come now. Let's get your things settled in your room and have that leg of yours stretched out on the couch. I baked madeleines."

 

xxx

 

"Satoshi-kun." His sister greeted him accusingly as soon as he closed the makeshift latch of their door.

"I got some herbs and leaves we could brew for tea." He presented the fresh goods to try and get away from the upcoming 'speech' he was about to receive from his sister again.

 

She snatched away the leaves from his arms and dropped them on the table, only to grab the arm of her younger brother when he tried to go ahead with his escape.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Do not go outside when the light can all but reveal your presence!"

"But we won't be able to gather fresh goods outside at night. There are creatures same size as us that could easily sneak in our home when they track us during late hours. Besides, no one saw me nor will there ever be."

 

His sister reached out a hand to pick out a small stem tangled in his hair. Her other hand cupped his cheek and brushed off the dirt stuck on the side of his lips. He twitched a bit, making his sister sigh.

 

"I need you to be careful. We need you safe." She told him in that gentle tone Satoshi much preferred.

"Serina? Has your brother arrived?" They heard their mother call.

"Yes. He's back." She smiled at Satoshi before going to the room she shared with their mother.

 

xxx

 

After savoring a delicious home-cooked meal, Sho bid his goodnight to his Aunt and old childhood friend before carefully walking towards his room. The two have endlessly offered their assistance but Sho politely refused them and promised that he would be extra cautious. Conveniently, a room on the ground floor was what they prepared for him so he wouldn't be troubled going up the stairs. Just looking at stairs was giving him a headache for it was the very reason for his current condition.

That night when he retired to bed after checking his mails and answering a few get well soon messages, he had a _dream_.

 

xxx

 

He was feeling nervous. And quite excited at the same time. He couldn't give a proper description to how he was feeling but...he knew he was happy. He was happy after a long time of almost sleepless nights both due to work and his unending thoughts. For some reason it was odd. It was like he was back in high school again when he was more carefree and yet easily confused and curious all at once.

 

The reason for this little turmoil was standing by his side. He didn't realize he was holding the person's hand, not until he felt a gentle squeeze that made him once again nervous in that excited way.

 

The rain was pouring hard and it was already late evening, post lights casting shadows by their feet and illuminating the parked cars in front of them. They were standing at the roofed shed located just before the parking lot of the studio building. Sho thought that they were there waiting for the rain to stop or just for it to calm down.  
However, he was getting particularly impatient this day. He was about to run towards his car when slender fingers caught his jacket. The other spoke to him. But it seems that in this dream, the person was voiceless. He understood what was said to him though for he responded.

"It's okay. My car's not parked far away. It's just beside the SUV over there." He pointed out a finger towards his red sedan. He could just tell the other person was hesitant when the fingers didn't let go of him. Somehow, Sho couldn't place the right features on this person but was perfectly aware how his faceless companion made him feel.

"Come on. I'll just be few seconds. Wait here for me." He smiled.

 

As soon as the fingers clutching him let go, a blinding light and a deafening sound were the last things he remembered.

 

xxx

 

The alarm clock's sound was unfamiliar to Sho. Nonetheless, it still jolted him up awake. He couldn't quite place why his heart pounded on his chest. A glass of water lay waiting on his bedside table and he immediately grabbed and drained it. The pounding calmed gradually but he was still left feeling disoriented.

 

What was with that dream? It felt so... _real_.

 

xxx

 

  
Sho went out to the porch and sat on the padded wooden bench. Reno trailed behind him and curled up by his feet, nudging on his free leg to give him more space. Surprisingly, since giving him a piece of meat on dinner yesterday, the dog found him to be an agreeable human compared to Haru and chose to hang out with him; totally disregarding his owner's pleading pout.

Sho was beginning to drift off when he felt Reno's shift in his position. He glanced down at him to pet the dog and noticed how his ears twitched every now and then. A lovebird flew down from a tree towards the lower part of the house. Same with Reno, his curiosity made him slowly and carefully stand up from the bench. He grabbed the crutches leaning against the wall and quietly made his way to where Reno must have seen the bird land.

He stopped once he heard the bird chirping a melody. Oddly, Reno paused as well and now had his ears pricked in focus. Sho was deciding whether to amuse himself with what the dog was concerned about as a small voice found its way in his own ears. He went down another step from the porch so as not to startle Reno and have him break into a run. He strained his ears to listen further on what seemed to be a song. A song he has never heard before.

 

The bird they saw fly down was perched in front of the air vent and looked to be merrily chirping along with the tiny singing voice, lightly echoing within the hidden crevice. Sho could tell now how the voice sounded. It sounded like a female's for hitting some high notes but with how small the voice was, he couldn't be completely sure. At first, Sho waved the idea coming to him at once. But then he undoubtedly saw a small arm reach out to shake hands with the bird's wing and it was too late to stop the choked gasp he had let out.

 

After that many things happened. The owner of the small arm scurried away as Sho was left to see a portion of fabric brushing the steel bar of the air vent, at the same time the bird flew as fast as it can to get away from a charging Reno. As for him, he almost fell when Reno had accidentally bumped onto his crutches and caused him to lose balance.

"You wont be falling a second time, you hear me?" His Aunt spoke, just as an arm with surprising strength hauled him upright and led him back to the bench.

"Goodness. Your mother will kill me if you injure yourself under my watch."

Haru heard the commotion and saw Reno barking at the air vent.

"What happened?" She scolded Reno, "Enough, Reno!" And sighed in resignation when the dog stopped barking but stayed circling in front of the air vent.

"I wonder if we need to call on pest control. Reno's always behaving like that ever since I took him here."

"It's not a pest!" Sho interjected in a higher volume than usual.

The two older women looked at him questioningly.

"I think...it's just a--the uhhh--" He cleared his throat. "A bird flew down there earlier. It made him excited. That's all." He pointed at the dog.

"Hmmm...well. I'll still look for contact numbers in case we need someone to check on it. Winter is coming soon so might as well secure the house too before then..." Haru murmured thoughtfully as she went back inside the house. Sho realized belatedly that she was in the middle of cooking for the apron hugging her figure.

 

Sho glanced at the air vent again; called for Reno and followed his Aunt back inside the house. After closing the door, his Aunt whispered something to him with that mischievous smile of hers.

"There are no pests here. Only--" She leaned into him. "--our friends we call 'little people'."

She ignored Sho's unspoken query and turned away to go straight for the kitchen and accompany Haru in her cooking.

 

xxx

 

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Satoshi apologized even before his sister could gather enough breath to start scolding him.

She pursed her lips and followed him silently to his room. She spoke once the door closed.

"I have to ask. Were you seen?"

He laid down his rucksack and scarf on the table before facing his sister.

"No. I wasn't." A pause. "I promise. I'm sure of it. They only saw the bird." He added for good measure when he received a raised brow.

"Okay." She accepted, nodding to herself. "We need to borrow a few things tonight. We're running out of supplies." She informed him. Her brows creased when she saw the excitement on her brother's face.

"We're going to get only what we need. No side trips." She pointedly stared at him.

"Of course." He conceded.

Serina massaged her temples and decided to ignore her brother's suspicious demeanor. What was important right now was that they need to get a tissue, a cracker maybe, and a piece of chocolate if they were lucky. Oh, and mother's request for a sugar cube.

 

Satoshi held out his hand to his sister. One screw was lose on the way into the house and he noted to fix it come morning. On each of their backs were a rucksack and a sling bag that contained his tools such as a thread for a rope, paperclip for a makeshift pulley, and an old pair of earring hooks. He also had a small strip of double-sided tape for climbing steep places. Carefully dislodging the doorway to the house, which was an unused power outlet, he moved aside to let his sister enter before him.

The kitchen was now a familair sight. Satoshi couldn't even remember how many times they've visited the same place whenever they needed to borrow supplies. With a brief look around and exchanged glances with his sister, they each made their way to gather what they needed.

 

When they met several minutes later, his sister was sporting a disappointed expression.

"What happened?" He asked worriedly.

"The sugar cube box is still sealed. Mother would be sad." She told him and frowned deeper when he saw the suspicious grin her brother made. He turned around, gently laid down his pack and pulled out halfway a bottle filled with golden liquid.

"Honey!" He said enthusiastically.

"How...?" Serina asked, amazed. "You know what, nevermind. Let's go get a tissue. It's in the usual place but the room's currently occupied so we need to be extra careful."

 

"Wow. Look at those details. We could practically live comfortably in here." Satoshi whispered as they walked inside the doll house.

When the room was not occupied, he always visited this place. He studied its structure, the design, and the well-executed details on each furniture and element found inside the doll house. It awed him and inspired him to create and build the same thing for his family. Maybe, in the near future.

"Well, we can't. The humans own it and if we so much as take a single pot, they might notice." Serina warned. She gestured for him to follow her to the tissue holder. She suddenly stopped though, as if stunned. Satoshi tapped her shoulder.

"Look..." She murmured shakily. "Cho--chocolate..." She whispered in disbelief.

Satoshi smiled.

"Why don't you get yourself a piece? The owner will think he must have eaten one before turning in, you know."

"I'm not sure about that..." She tried to dodge the temptation.

"It will be fine. Go on. I'll get the tissue." He pushed her a bit in encouragement and made his way towards the paper holder.

He was already holding up one square of tissue when he saw the room's occupant looking straight at him.

 

xxx

 

Sho had been awake ever since he dreamed the very same thing from last night. It made him shiver how the loud sound still resonated in his ears and how the bright light left a grainy picture in his vision. Like these things occurred so swiftly without any caution. He stayed lying on his bed, eyes remained open, when a quiet creak came from the table where the doll house was displayed. A few light thuds followed, then what sounded like a foil wrapper being carefully opened made him look at his right to see what was happening.  
It took him a few seconds before he realized he had been staring eye to eye with someone.

 

Satoshi was fully aware how obviously his silhouette showed through the piece of tissue he still has not gotten around in cutting. He stilled. The owner was still looking at his shadowed face and confirmed that he was indeed awake when he spoke to him.

"Don't be afraid." Sho said in a soft voice.

The sound of the foil being stepped on made Satoshi turn around to face his panic-stricken sister.

"I'm not going to hurt you. It's alright. You can stay." Sho continued gently, but began to have his hope shot down when the tissue paper was left to lay limp over its box.

Satoshi gestured for Serina once he got down from the rectangular container. In his haste to guide his trembling sister out of the room, he could only give a regretful look on the bottle of honey that rolled out of his bag.

 

Sho heard a small thud on his floor and gave up on waiting for the little person to acknowledge him when he saw a tiny vial rolling towards his slippers. He looked at the doll house in his room and remembered his Aunt's brief history about it. Maybe his ancestors had seen these 'little people'. Maybe it was just another made-up story and he was imagining things.

 

xxx

 

"Were you able to get the sugar cube I requested, my dear?" Their mother asked Serina the next day when the three of them were gathered for breakfast.

Satoshi was the one who cooked this time for Serina couldn't sleep in worrying about what hapened last night.

"Sorry, mother." It seems they did not have some left when we checked last night." He answered in place of his sister.

"That's unfortunate. I was sure they had groceries delivered yesterday." Their mother frowned. "Well, that's fine. We'll make do with what we have." She smiled at her children and began eating.

"I'll be out later to gather some berries." Satoshi ignored the look of disbelief his sister directed at him.

"Be careful, dear. We don't want you getting seen by humans."

Serina was still giving her brother the 'look' when their mother addressed her.

"Serina, the sun is up nice today. I'd like you to help me with the laundry."

"Ye--yes...Mother." She gave up glaring at her brother and started eating.

 

xxx

 

"Hmmm...there are two of them?" He glanced down at Reno who was wagging his tail expectantly at him. Sho looked at the chocolate bar he left on the desk. It has obviously been carefully pried open and yet the sweet was left intact. Most probably his fault for scaring them when he spoke.

"You're not allowed to eat this, alright? I'll give you some treat later."

Sho tore two squares of chocolate and rewrapped them in foil. He placed it in his pocket along with the tiny vial and his note. Reno followed him out of the house and curiously observed him when he left the items on one side of the air vent, between the steel bars.

 

xxx

 

Despite Serina's last attempt to stop him from going out since they have most likely been seen last night, Satoshi still went out to grab some berries he promised their mother. He strapped the straw sack he stitched himself on his back. This time he promised to hold onto his word of being extra cautious, looked around the area thrice, before heading to his destination. When he came back a few hours later, he immediately noticed a silver square shining beside the bottle he dropped from last night. The honey was still intact in there.

Cautiously approaching the items while still looking around, it was then he noticed a note placed beneath them. He took it and unfolded the paper.

'You forgot something'--was written neatly.

He slowly opened the silver square and found it contained the chocolate his sister have failed in getting yesterday. Several minutes have passed when he finally gave up on staring at the goods and grabbed both the bottle and the chocolate. His sister would definitely kill him for this, he thought as he made his way back to their home.

 

xxx

 

When he laid out the items and berries on the dining table, Serina's eyes widened as soon as she recognized what they were. However, she held her tongue for their mother was with them at the kitchen.

 

"Oh what are these?" Their mother cried out excitedly. "Is this honey? Oh my! Where did you find them? And...and chocolate?" She briefly looked at her son. "I'm definitely going to make desserts tonight!"

She was still murmuring about recipes by the time she reached her room to get her journal.

 

"Really? You had to go and get us in more trouble?" Serina rounded on her brother as soon as their mother was out of hearing range.

"He left it there." He answered.

"He...Who--? Nnnggggh! How can you accept them? It's like you totally admitted that we're here, living in this forgotten stash."

"Well, he did see me last night. Don't worry. I'll take care of it." He said nonchalantly and it fueled his sister's exasperation tenfold.

"HOW are you going to take care of it? WE have to move. We have to find another place soon. This house is not safe anymore." She ranted.

"No. Wait, nee-chan. Listen to me." He held her shoulders to keep her from turning away from him. "I'll take care of it. Just let me try okay?" He pleaded.

 

Serina didn't answer for awhile and instead started gathering the items he brought to arrange them properly in the cupboards.

"We'll see, little brother. Do what you think is going to take care of _it_."

 

xxx

 

Sho was reading the newspaper in his room when he noticed the silhouette of the same little person from the other night. The wind was a bit cold lately so he had locked the framed glass panes in place to block the strong gusts from coming in. Slowly approaching the window in order to open it, the little person spoke.

Sho can now hear his voice clearly without straining his ears.

"There was no need for the chocolate. As for the honey, I would have retrieved it myself...eventually." He sensed the hesitation of the little person on the last part. Maybe because he knew he sounded like any other thief used to getting what wasn't theirs. It didn't cross Sho's mind though.

"It's okay." Sho answered when few moments passed that the other kept silent.

"May I ask what are you?"

"We're borrowers." Sho was a bit surprised with the instant reply.

"Borrowers?" He parroted, slightly confused.

"We borrow things that will not be noticed or cause inconvenience to the owners of the house. We only get what we need. Nothing more." The little person asnwered defensively. "And here." His silhouette moved to present the berries he was holding on his arms.

"I brought berries in exchange for the chocolate."

"You didn't have to." Sho chuckled and realized he was now leaning on the window. "Do you have a name?"

A short pause. A small sigh.

"Satoshi." The little person answered.

"Satoshi..." Sho's lips curved into a smile at the name. "My name's Sh--"

His introduction was cut short when a crow suddenly lunged itself towards the glass. Sho had the presence of mind not to panic and immediately moved to open the window while he watched as Satoshi struggled to hang on the vine that have made itself a part of the outside wall. The window was a bit stuck so Sho had to jostle it a few times before it gave and slid up on its frame.

Naturally, the crow followed them inside once it gave way. Sho had to release one of his crutches in order to swipe Satoshi off the pane. But the struggle didn't end there for the crow determinedly kept on flying into the room. It was then when, thankfully, his Aunt came to help. A few pushes on the wild bird and some jostling on the wooden frame, the window was closed at last.

Both Sho and his Aunt were catching their breaths, while the whole time he was making sure he was still holding Satoshi within his palm.

 

"Are you alright, dear?"

Sho nodded and smiled.

"So much for a vacation, huh? You get to travel for almost two hours of 'free massage'. The dog tries to pull you into another fall. And now this." She spread her palm towards the window.

"Not even halfway through the week and these things happen. I'm so so--"

"Hold it. I don't need another apology from you, Auntie. Really, everything's fine. I'm actually beginning to like the start of my week here."

A confused frown was thrown at him.

"Is that sarcasm I'm hearing? I do believe I'm hearing you wrong."

"No, of course not!" He was laughing and that's when he saw his Aunt stretching her neck to peek at his back.

"Are you hiding something? Oh my, did you hurt your hand?" She swiftly caught his hand and the panic that rapidly rose up inside him made him freeze.

"Well, seems to be okay..." His Aunt sighed in relief and Sho did the same for an entirely different reason. Satoshi must have slid away from his palm right on time.

"Rest properly, alright? I'll call you when it's dinner time." She went out of the room after giving him another stern look.

 

xxx

 

"Satoshi? Where did you go?"

Satoshi heard him as clear as daybut he couldn't decided whether he should respond to the human's call.

"It's okay to come out now. I've locked the door." There was still no answer.

"Are you still here? Satoshi...?" Sho tried again and eventually went back to his bed. A crease was already forming on his forehead but it vanished in a blink once he heard Satoshi speak.

"I'm here." He said hesitantly. "The...uhhh...the berries I brought. The crow trampled on them." He added as if in apology, still hiding just beside the tissue box where Sho saw his silhouette for the first time.

"It's fine."

"No, it's not!" Satoshi insisted. "I'll make sure to get some tomorrow."

"And get attacked by a crow again? I don't think so."

"But I owe you for the chocolate you gave us...and for saving me earlier."

"Why don't you sing for me then? Instead of the berries." Sho suggested in excitement.

"Sing?"

"I heard you. You were singing with the bird."

It was a good thing that the human couldn't see how his face turned red.

"I want to hear the song you were singing back then." Sho wanted so bad to see how Satoshi actually looked like so he could match it with his voice. For some particular reason, he couldn't phatom why he didn't want to stop hearing the little person speak.

 

Few moments have passed and finally, Satoshi began singing. He was a bit shy the first few words until little by little, it was the music itself which demanded to be played according to its melancholic rhythm. Satoshi let go of his reservations and truly started with the song. His voice flowed smoothly as it glided along varying notes. It jumped on a higher octave and then gently slid lower to a soft melody. Sho may have been lost on the emotions resonating from the song and was greatly disappointed when Satoshi has grasped its end. He heard him clear his throat. It seemed that with enough focus, Sho could hear him as if they were the same size.

"I have to go now." Satoshi told him. Sho wanted to reply, 'No. Stay.', but of course he chose the more acceptable response instead.

"The song was nice. But your voice...your voice, it's exquisite." He said breeathlessly.

If he could see Satoshi, he really wished he could witness how he would react to his words.

"Goo--Goodnight." The little person answered. "Sho." He added before leaving. The other man never needed to say his name to him. He already learned about it the very first day the human arrived in the house, hearing it being spoken countless times by his Aunt.

 

Sho knew he was alone by the time all the other noises inside his room took back his attention. He heard nothing else when he listened to Satoshi's voice.

 

The next morning, he found three pieces of blueberry sitting atop his abandoned newspaper.

 

xxx

 

Working at a prestigious company and being one of the most prominent journalists in the country, it never crossed Sho's mind that he would be looking forward to the afternoons wherein Satoshi would either visit him in his room or outside by the porch. Their routine was simple. Sho would wait patiently for his little person's arrival and then they would converse discreetly about random topics.

His injured leg no longer felt painful (a sure sign that it was healing) and the dark bags under his eyes were less prominent despite having the same dreams that wake him up in a sort of disorientation every night. Instead of wallowing himself in grim thoughts of why he was having that dream repeatedly, he chose to pay attention to the times he spent with Satoshi. And when he obliges, his singing. His voice was akin to a lullaby and his little friend had to nudge him awake once but managed to always hide before he could open his eyes. Surprisingly, even Reno learned not to get too excited with his presence.

 

xxx

 

Satoshi had just come back from Sho's room and was taken aback when he saw his sister waiting for him at the dining table. He was sure it was already past ten when he left and so his sister would should have been sleeping in her bed an hour ago.

"We need to leave." She told him. A protest was at the tip of his tongue, yet Serina continued. "I've already packed the items we'll be needing. All you need to do is pack up your things."

"Why...why so sudden?" It was all he could come up with to ask. At the back of his mind, he kind of expected the inevitability of this moment.

"It's not sudden. I told Mother two days ago. We've been caught, Satoshi." She saw the sad expression of her brother.

"You've gotten too attached.."

"I'm not." Satoshi denied. But all he received was a wave of her head.

"We were never supposed to be seen by humans. And yet you have befriended one."

"But I never showed myself to him. We only talked."

"Stop it, Satoshi. Talking with him is as good as exposing yourself out in the open." She blew out a breath.

"I heard the other humans speaking about your friend's behavior. They're getting suspicious. I don't want to feed those thoughts that they might be dealing with something they do not fully understand."

Satoshi kept silent but his expression gave away his thoughts and how he was truly feeling about the matter.

"I'll let you say goodbye to him in the morning. That's all I can give you, brother." She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and went inside her room.

 

xxx

 

It was already Friday and Sho had decided to go out to the garden once he finished breakfast. Reno ran after him and both of them chose a spot to lie down on the newly trimmed grass. The dog ended up lying on his stomach.

He breathed in the fresh air and smiled when he smelled a whiff of mint. The mint-scented breeze meant that Satoshi was here. Even Reno's nose twitched at the recognition. He was about to open his mouth to speak when Satoshi beat him to it.

"Sho. We're leaving today." The little person became uncomfortable in the stretch of silence.

Wordlessly, Sho sat up while Reno understandingly removed himself and perched on his side. Satoshi didn't seize his patience and waited for any response Sho might have for him.

"Where are you going? It's dangerous for you out there." Sho opted for a monotonous tone but his voice still shook at the end of his sentence.

"We can't stay here anymore. Sooner or later, the other humans with you will learn about us."

"I want to see you." Sho blurted out. Realizing the words that came out of his mouth, he tried again in a more composed manner.

"Can I...Can I see you, Satoshi?" He could hear the plea in his own voice but he didn't care.

 

A rustle on the leaves at his left side made Sho turn just in time to see Satoshi's silhouette finally come out behind the green curtain and reveal his whole being. The ray of the sun had perfectly caught Satoshi in a natural spotlight and Sho couldn't stop the awe that struck his heart. Satoshi must have only been as big as his hand but he was...

"Beautiful." Sho whispered, utterly fascinated by the being in front of him.

Unconsciously, he reached out an open palm in invitation and the warmth of euphoria bloomed in his chest when Satoshi obliginly stepped onto his palm without reservations. This amount of trust overwhelmed him.

"Please don't cry."

"What? I'm not--" He trailed off as he felt the tears flowing over his cheeks. "This is just--I'm just filled with stress lately. That's all." Sho tried to laugh it off and yet his eyes continued to betray him by letting more tears to flow out.

"Can you bring me over to the river?" He heard Satoshi ask and noticed how his little friend's eyes have turned red as well.

"Yeah."

 

Before leaving the vicinity of their garden, Sho's Aunt called out for him.

"Where are you going, dear?"

"I'll just walk around the field for a bit." He was proud at the absence of shaking in his voice.

"Okay. Be back by lunchtime."

Instead of answering, Sho waved back as he went past the gate and began his trek towards the neighboring field where the river started.

 

xxx

 

It took a few minutes to arrive at the riverbank. A kettle tied on a rock was there, along with Satoshi's sister waiting for him on the mouth of the pot. She was shocked when she saw Sho carrying her brother towards their escape 'boat'. The only thing that calmed her was when Satoshi gestured to be laid down on the huge rock near the kettle and Sho knelt down to comply. Satoshi turned to give a signal to his sister and she hesitatingly went inside the pot.

"I think this is goodbye, Sho."

"I wish it wasn't."

Sho was beginning to feel warm again although this time it may not only be coming from the sadness of his little friend leaving him. This time the warmth made him immensely dizzy.

The tears started to flow again and he cursed how he was getting so emotional about this.

"Thank you...for showing up in my life."

Hearing those words, it was Satoshi who let his own tears to tread down his cheeks.

"I won't forget about you, Sho. I wish we had more time." Even Satoshi's crying facade caused his heart to clench hard in his chest.

He looked at his face. At his trembling lips; at his tears that shone in the ray of the sun peeking through the leaves of the trees surrounding them. And he realized he can't let this fascinating little human go, no matter how selfish that sounded.

 

"Stay with me."

Satoshi couldn't answer despite the fact the right answer was supposed to be choosing his family before anything else.

"I--I can't..." Saying this felt wrong.

Sho went down on his knees when a sudden pounding in his head blurred his vision with overwhelming pain.

"Please....Satoshi--Stay with me...Stay--" The frantic words coming out of his mouth carried on along with the blinding sensation gripping his head. He grabbed it with his two hands in a futile attempt to ease the violent throbbing.

"Sho? What's wrong?"

"Sho?"

"Sho!"

 

Sho could hear him amidst the tremendous buzzing in his brain. He could hear him shouting his name repeatedly.

And then everything went black.

 

xxx

 

Sho could sense the commotion happening around him. He could feel the cold touch of metal being pressed down his chest, plastic tubes attached on his arms slightly being shifted. There were several presence creating shadows in his closed eyes.

"Sakurai-san?" Someone was speaking to him. For some reason, he didn't want to answer. His throat felt like a thick cotton resided in it.

"Sakurai-san?" A different voice; from a female this time.

Still, it didn't make a difference and no response was granted to her.

 

"Sho-chan."

 

There it was. The voice he didn't know he was waiting for. He began opening his mouth despite how rough and dry it felt and immediately savored the warmth those slender fingers brought as it intertwined with his hand.

"Sho..." The voice repeatedly breathlessly.

This time, Sho determinedly moved his lips and struggled with effort to make his throat work.

"Satoshi." He meant to speak but it ended up into a broken whisper. It didn't mater though for the moment he was able to lift up his heavy eyelids, he was greeted by the person he had longed for in his dreams.

"Stay..." He continued and wondered briefly in his foggy mind why it was the word he said and why he was feeling so desperate not to let Satoshi go. The fingers that held his hand was now being squeezed by him in return.

"Yes. I'll be here, Sho-chan. I've always been here." Satoshi put pressure on their combined hands. True to his word, he stayed by his side when Sho never let go of his hand. The doctors and nurses understandingly went on with their work of checking Sho's vitals despite his added presence.

 

xxx

 

"Look who's back. And you're already eating ahead of us? Tsk. Something's not right here."

"Oh hey Nino. Satoshi-kun just went to the toilet."

A click on the door opening and closing was heard and Ohno emerged back in the room.

"Nino!" He said in surprise, visibly swallowing in an attempt to tamper it down.

"Don't be so shocked. Everyone cleared their schedules. MatsuJun and Aiba-chan just stopped by a restaurant to grab some food. They're running a bit late; maybe arguing what's the best dish for our hospitalized guy here." He looked pointedly at Sho who was digging heartily into the selection of sushi Ohno surely must have brought.

"Aren't you going to get indigestion for that? Shouldn't you be eating jell-o or something?"

"Oh, don't worry. I asked the restaurant owner not to put raw meat in there so they had them boiled and torched. Come on, try it. It really tastes good."

Nino looked at him uncertainly and shrugged when he saw Sho give him a thumbs up while chewing on another piece.

 

The three of them had already devoured two huge boxes of cooked sushi by the time Jun and Aiba arrived with severals paper bags containing more food.

 

xxx

 

It took five more days of persuading the doctors to have Sho released from the hospital. After countless pleas from the patient himself and an offer to give free VIP tickets on their next concert, the head doctor finally handed him the clear bill of health stating that he was stable enough to go back to his own house.

 

"AH! Tadaima~!" He sing-song[ed] once he stepped into the foyer of his house.

"It's been awhile, huh?" He asked the man following behind him. Instead of receiving an answer from him, Sho's manager took the liberty to respond in his place .

"More than a month actually, Sakurai-san." The manager laid down his luggage beside the leather couch. "Is it alright ot leave it here?" He asked.

"Yes. Thank you, Manager-san."

"It's good to have you back." He paused and nodded towards the other man in the room.

"Ohno-san, we should get going."

"Uhh..yes." Ohno turned to Sho. "See you, Sho-kun. Rest well, alright?" He pursed his lips, seeming as if he was about to say more. But then he only gave a smile before following Sho's manager out of the house.

 

Running footsteps thudded on the polished floor before Ohno could make a step out the door. A hand clasping his wrist, he looked up to see Sakurai having quite an unreadable expression on his face. He almost looked frantic.

"Stay." Sho knew he had been saying this to their leader a lot, lately.

Ohno's face shifted a bit and he turned to see what Sho's manager was going to say. It wasn't as if he was asking for permission but more like, if staying would be a wise decision when things in the background were still in disorder.

The manager glanced at Sho and witnessing his expression, didn't have the heart to add disappointment on the man.

"I'll speak with your manager, Ohno-san. I'll inform him where you'll be come morning. Goodnight to both of you." He said with a smile and left.

 

xxx

 

The sound of leather soles tapping on the floor outside faded and Sho took it as a cue to finally do what he wanted to do ever since he woke up from his coma. He seized the back of Ohno's neck and breathed in his gasp in an open mouth kiss. Sho couldn't describe how much he longed for this; how impatient he was getting when he couldn't get to have enough private time with Satoshi. He slid his other hand from the small of Ohno's back to put it around his waist.

It felt like an eternity has passed and Sho still didn't want to let go. Only Ohno's gentle push made him aware that they needed to break apart to breathe.

"I missed you, Sho-chan..." Ohno said.

Those simple words touched Sho so deeply for the older man had never been the type to easily voice out his sentiment.

"I love you." He replied.

And as Ohno's eyes began to fill with unfallen tears, Sho captured his lips once more into a neverending kiss.

 

The seal to a silent promise.

 

xxx

 

Das Ende.


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What if the fans react to this negatively?" Her voice have lost the arrogant tone of a composed journalist and was replaced with genuine consternation.
> 
> Sho turned to her. The cameras never stopped rolling nor were the flashes that came on all sides of the room.
> 
> "That would never change how I feel about him." He politely bowed to all the attendees of the press conference and left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the promised Epilogue. :) Sorry for the wait!

So far since Sho's official return to their shows and his job as an anchor in News Zero, no one has dropped the most important question about his temporary disappearance from the entertainment industry for more than a month. It was quite a miracle, really. This only meant and proved how his agency had poured an insurmountable amount of effort in making sure him, along with his groupmates, did not have to be burdened so they could carry on with their jobs as per usual.

However, such peace and fortune will not forever last.

"We can't forever dodge this matter, Sakurai-kun."

I'ts been awhile since he had been directly called by the boss. Even more time has passed when they had actually gone out for drinks. Honestly, this may even be the very first time he was alone with him.

A fresh set of beer placed in buckets of ice have been served in their private room. And although Johnny Kitagawa was almost finished with his first bottle, Sho has yet to take his first bottle for the night. For one, he was incredibly tense that it was almost suffocating him. Second, he knew someone would be waiting back at his house and Sho still cursed his own stupidity for failing to send him a message before going to the bar his boss has messaged him to meet.

"Why don't you send him a message? I'm sure I wouldn't mind waiting for a mere minute." Johnny gestured Sho to the phone glaring at him beside his empty plate.

Sho picked it up stiffly, typed a direct-to-the-point message and pressed send.

"That didn't take much of our time, did it?" Johnny had a relaxed smile on his face but the idol couldn't decipher if he was comfortable with it. Truthfully, it was increasing his level of nervousness.

"Now, I have to be honest. I don't like having scandals involving celebrities under my agency. However, don't get me wrong." He immediately added when he took notice of Sho's paling complexion.

"The two of you have undoubtedly become such invaluable members of my company and I hate not being able to do something to keep you safe. As much as I have been publicly misunderstood being seen as a tyrannical president who forbid you to have private lives among your fans, what I want from you right now--even with your peers--is _honesty_."

At the end of his sentence, Sho finally looked up.

"Johnny-san. I'm not afraid of being banned from this industry if worse comes to worst. I don't want..." He visibly swallowed, seeming to contemplate his next words. "I don't want to take _him_ down with me."

Kitagawa leaned forward on the table and stapled his fingers.

"Why do you think such thing would happen? Do you not believe in your fans who have faithfully supported you since you were in your teens?"

"It's not that. But I've seen countless scenarios similar to what I'm aboout to deal with. One story, regardless if they're proven or not, can cause someone's downfall. In a snap." He replied hollowly, as if seeing a ghost in his memory.

"We're not here to feed your fears, Sakurai-kun. We're here to solve it. Now go and drink! This is going to be a long night."

xxx

Two days ago when he spoke with Kitagawa-san and they have agreed upon releasing an article about the reason why Sho had been hospitalized, the idol in concern expected to be swarmed by journalists. He had been trying to dodge them as much as possible and have only given one answer when he knew he was caught and couldn't merely brush them off.

"Please wait for my statement in the press conference." He went inside his car and drove off before listening to his voicemails.

He skipped several of them as most came from journalists who somehow had acquired his contact number, pausing only when it was his mother's message. He was deleting other mails that followed but stopped once he heard Ohno's voice. He even double-checked the name on his screen in surprise. Their leader has never sent them voicemails unless he was drunk.

"Sho-chan...are you alright?" There was a long pause and for a moment, Sho thought the message has ended until he heard his voice again. "Oh yeah...this is voice mail." Sho had to chuckle on that and was easily gaining a better mood than earlier. He heard him clear his throat. "That...that article circulating in the internet. The fans' negative comments. Don't mind them." There was another pause and it made obvious how Ohno was bothered by it himself.

"Anyway...I--I...uhmm... Stay safe." He ended abruptly before Sho heard the click of the message closing.

The rest of the voicemails were deleted and the idol apologized inwardly when he belatedly saw Jun's name among the lined up messages. He increased his speed just so he could feel the roar of his car's engine and calm his nerves.

xxx

The press conference was to be held at the building itself of Johnny's Jimusho. The president himself will be present just as he had promised Sho. All members of Arashi were also there to offer their support but they will be watching the conference in a different room.

Jun was eerily composed. He almost looked like his usual brooding self but Nino knew better as he observed him. Jun was anxious and what better way to keep his mind at present than to stay still and try to stay calm. Aiba was no different; although his way of coping truly reflects his character. There was no masking it. He paced back and forth, not seeming to know where to sit or what spot in the room was best to remain standing. He also kept glancing at the screen of the television showing the number of reporters already gathered just five rooms away from where they were.

Now he turned to Ohno.

For the first time ever since he knew him, Ohno never looked this tense. Not even when he had held his own press conference to clear things up about a hook up he'd been reportedly engaged to prior to this current issue he was facing together with Sho. His eyes kept on moving, looking around as if he was searching for something. His stapled fingers were white-knuckled as he gripped to keep them from trembling.

The poor guy looked like he was about to faint.

Nino was about to stand and sit beside him when the time finally approached. Sho has now entered the room and took the seat in between his publicist and Johnny Kitagawa. Another man, followed by his manager, also joined and introduced himself as the detective who handled Sho's 'case'. He was also the first one to speak.

"To start with, I would like to lay out the facts explaining Sakurai-san's admission to the hospital and the accident that led him to fall into a coma for four weeks."

The detective didn't go around in circles. He narrated the incident without preamble and answered the clarifications queried by the reporters straight to the point. The man responsible for accidentally hitting Sho at the parking lot was a paparazzi. The night had been particularly busy that time for train lines needed to close down early due to the weather. More people have opted to bring their own vehicles so the streets had been filled with unusual traffic.

Despite the parking lot having post lights surrounding the entire area, the heavy pouring rain created a curtain of almost zero visibility on the road.

 

_..._

_Sho stopped midway when he was getting ready to run towards his vehicle.  The rain was still pouring hard and it would seem that it was far from letting out anytime soon; not for another hour at the least.  He was incredibly getting impatient but the light but the firm hold on his coat's sleeve was enough to stop him from his action.  Ohno looked up at him and glanced at the rivulets of water reaching out to drench their boots and the lower part of their jeans._

_"What are you doing?  Let's wait a bit more.  The rain's going to slow down eventually.."  Ohno directed his gaze at the sky and worry creased his brows.  With how strong the rain was still going, it will not be a short wait._

_"It's okay.  My car's not parked far away.  It's just beside the SUV over there."  His finger pointed at his red sedan.  Despite his reassurances, Ohno has yet to let go of his hold on his arm.  The smaller man was feeling uncertain for some reason he couldn't quite place and thus caused him to be all the more cautious.  He wasn't usually one to think too much about things.  In fact, Sho was the worry wart among their group but tonight they looked to have switched roles._

_"Come on. It'll just be few seconds.   Wait here for me."  Sho smiled at him._

_As soon as Ohno was forced to let go, he experienced the same deafening and blinding sensation when he witnessed the car coming with impact on Sho's prone body.  It didn't work like the slow motions showed in films when they add drama to accidents such as this.  When it happened right in front of you, you feel numb and the shock just swallows you whole._

_"SHO!!!!!!!!"_

 

_Ohno heard the scream._

_He didn't know it was his own voice._

_..._

The paparazzi had been so shocked about what happened. He had coincindentally went there for an exclusive scoop about current rumors involving two Arashi members and have received information that they will be at this certain studio till evening. These two in concern, namely Ohno Satoshi and Sakurai Sho, had been in the same group for more than ten years and this fact was known throughout the nation. Of course, seeing them hang out together wasn't big news. However, one photo that had been released online by an anonymous person, created a huge fuss within the community of fans and eventually found its way on tabloids and online magazines. Newspaper companies who have attempted to release their own versions of the topic were barely blocked by the agency.

"Can you explain this picture to us, Sakurai-san?" One reporter asked without further ado.  It was so obvious that the details of his accident were not their top priority.

Sho looked at the image projected on the white wall located on the right side of the room. He couldn't count how many times this photo had been used as a cover image on the many articles written about it. The photo was slightly blurred but it was clear who were in the shot. It had been taken by a fan who chanced upon and recognized them.

There, it showed Ohno and him inside a rental car they used during an impromptu trip to Bali. Nothing was planned. The two of them just happened to call each other and had the same few days off. Then after drinking a pint or two, Sho had suggested jokingly to fly overseas. He could still remember the genuine smile Ohno had given him when he presented the idea. That night, each of them packed a few things while Sho offered to book their hotel and tickets. The idea that was formed on a whim became Sho's most treasured holiday.

Right now though, Sho could feel anger creeping up on him as the discussion of his private time with Ohno felt like it was tampering on their memory. It was as if what they did was an insult to these people when they owed them nothing.

"Sakurai-san?" The reporter called his attention as he drifted off.

Sho then told the truth of it being an unplanned vacation without the 'unnecessary' details these people didn't deserve to know.

"I do understand that this was overseas. But did you two think it was wise to have acted with each other so...intimately?"

"It was a private time for 'each' of them. I think working so hard everyday entitles them to unwind in their own way." Sho's publicist answered.

But the reporter didn't want to leave it at that and continued with his question.

"In their own way. You mean going on a holiday trip and taking advantage of their anonymity in another country?"

"You're starting to provoke an accusation here, Mr. Reporter." It was Johnny Kitagawa who spoke.  He knew he was edging on provoking the idol to spill more information, squeezing out a personal secret that would surely entice the viewers who were currently watching.

"I'm just giving light to the root of the rumors. Now that we've gathered the truth about the accident and how you were able to handle it flawlessly. It's time to discuss about the 'rumors'. Isn't that what we're here for?" He addressed his colleagues who have gone silent during the exchange. "To clear things up about that matter." He finished.

One female reporter raised her hand. Johnny nodded in acknowledge before she stood up from her seat.

"May I ask where Ohno-san is? I believe since he is involved in this topic, that he should be part of this conference."

Hearing Ohno's name, Sho sharply directed his gaze towards that female reporter. She was looking directly at him and her eyes were as firm as her posture.  It was a challenge of his character, the way she zoned in on him and shamelessly included the other man, who was not present with them, in the conversation.  All of a sudden he could feel a rush urging him to truly end this much exaggerated rumor and provide his audience with the raw truth. How was this bound to end?  He knew in himself he couldn't--no, wouldn't--deny this.  Any other thing, he could pull off a lie.  But not about _this_.  Just as Johnny-san told him two nights ago, he needed to be honest. And honest he will be.

"Ohno-san and I are going out."

The male reporter who had been leading the press conference among his peers was now sporting a triumphant grin but Sho didn't care.

A flood of questions came from the reporters but the idol only raised up his palm to silence them. He could tell that his manager and the detective were staring at him like they were lost. But no disgust ever marred their faces with the declaration.

"Today, in this conference, I'm aware that my fans and all of Arashi fans are watching. I have only one apology to make in light of this issue that has taken much of your time."

Sho deeply inhaled in preparation.

"I'm sorry for not being more honest to all of you." A pause.

"I love him. I am _in love_  with him." Sho told them. His raw honesty resonated through his voice. The deafening silence that suddenly engulfed the room became unnerving.  Before he could lose the confidence in his words, he carried on.

 

"And I think...he loves me too." He finished with an unstable smile.

"I hope this clears things up. Thank you everyone for coming."

Sho was preparing to leave when the same female reporter, who asked for Ohno earlier, threw him another question.

"What if the fans react to this negatively?" Her voice have lost the arrogant tone of a composed journalist and was replaced with genuine consternation.

Sho turned to her. The cameras never stopped rolling nor were the flashes that came from all sides of the room.

"That would never change how I feel about him." He politely bowed to all the attendees of the press conference and left the room.

 

xxx

 

When Sho arrived at the room where he knew the other members of Arashi were waiting, he was disappointed to learn that Ohno has left.

"He told me he would wait for you at home." Nino informed him while a proud smile graced his lips. He looked at MatsuJun and Aiba and they were also wearing the same expression.

"I'll go ahead then." He told them and hurried to leave the building.

 

xxx

 

Sho paced anxiously in front of Ohno's house. He had rang the doorbell many times and yet there was still no answer. Ohno's phone seemed to be turned off or out of charge as his calls always ended up in voicemail. He waited for an hour before deciding to drive back to his own house.

The drive from the older man's address to his own took about a forty-minute drive with a bit of traffic. He was still trying to call Satoshi's phone when he noticed the familiar sneakers sitting on his shoe rack. Kicking off his shoes, not caring where they fell for once, he ran towards the living room and the kitchen only to find them both empty. Nothing was amiss, nor were there a sign of recent presence.

When he opened the door to his bedroom, he stopped short just beside the coat stand.

"You're here..." He said quite in disbelief. "Nino said you'd be 'home'." Sho almost whispered. Now he realized what this meant. Satoshi has considered to call his house--a home. It pulled at his heart in that achingly sweet way.

Ohno stood up from Sho's bed and padded his socked feet to where the other man stayed glued on.

"Our flight is at nine forty." Ohno suddenly informed him. "We still have lots of time. Do you want me to cook dinner or just order in?"

Sho glanced down at the foot of the his bed and noticed two carry-on baggages sitting innocently on his carpeted floor. They weren't there when he left this morning.

"Did you include my throat drops and stomach pills in there?" He asked despite his uncertainty of the situation.

At first, Ohno kept silent basically taken aback with Sho's response. Maybe confused as to why Sho wasn't shocked about 'this'... Few seconds more and he let out a laugh.

"Yeah. I did. I packed your personal sleep mask too." During his laughter, his hand had shot out to hold the other man's shoulder to steady himself. It had become a natural reflex; to count on Sho for support.

"I just declared to the whole nation about our relationship and on the same day we're going to another impromptu getaway." Sho commented.

At this, Ohno stopped smiling. Maybe it was not a great idea to continue with his plan.

"This is going to be another scandal." Sho continued, unaware of the turmoil going on in Ohno's head.

He started pulling away from Sho, feeling enormously stupid for pursuing such an idea.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't really thinking. I didn't consider all of that."

Instead of letting the older man completely pull away, Sho gathered him in his arms and carried him all the way to the bed. Sho miscalculated the location of the bags and stumbled upon them together with Ohno, causing both men to fall down with impact on his comforter. The two of them were a bit winded, mostly Satoshi, for he had made contact with the bed earlier than Sho. Thankfully, the taller mad had leaned on his arms just in time and saved Ohno from being squashed under his weight.

They looked at each other's eyes till eventually, Sho seized the few centimeters down to capture Satoshi in a kiss. It lasted longer than their previous ones and felt more intense. Maybe because they were pouring all their feelings and worries in this kiss. They felt lighter as one weight on their shoulders has finally been lifted with the admission of their relationship. Nevertheless, they knew the challenges to follow were far from over.

 

Yes. It was just the beginning.

 

They forgot about cooking or ordering dinner as they stayed in bed; curled up in each other's hold, with Sho's bare chest touching Ohno's back and their hands entwined near the smaller man's heart and beating the same rhythm as his.

 

* * *

 

They were drinking wine on the plane when Sho brought up the subject.

"Do you want to know what I've dreamed about while I was in coma?"

Ohno turned to him skeptically. He still reacted sensitively whenever Sho brought up the topic and reminded him of that month he was hospitalized. He heaved a sigh and Sho just had to snatch his hand from the seat rest and kiss it soundly. A full blush bloomed on his cheeks and Sho found how he would like to see this reaction more often. He tried to do it again but Satoshi managed to take his hand away.

"Okay. I'm listening." He told Sho just to make him stop teasing him.

"Well, in that dream you called yourself a 'borrower'." Sho started.

 

xxx

 

Das Ende!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this! Thank you for all the kudos and comments. ;P

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the story! This is my first time posting an Arashi fic here and I have no beta so mistakes are all mine. Forgive me for that. ;))
> 
> Some things may be a bit confusing about the story but I have an Epilogue to clear things up if anyone wants a short continuation of this. :)
> 
> Danke Schoen!


End file.
